Matsui will likely be primarily a DH again in '09 for New York Yankees

Saed Hindash/The Star-LedgerHideki Matsui appears destined to be a designated hitter for the Yankees next season as he has been for most of this season.

NOTEBOOK

SEATTLE - Before this year, Hideki Matsui had never been the Yankees' designated hitter more than 32 times in a season.

But he has been almost exclusively a DH this year, and that seems likely to continue in 2009.

"Obviously you wait to see how he comes out of his knee surgery next February," manager Joe Girardi said last night. "Right now, I envision him as a DH a substantial amount of time next year. I still think he can play the outfield if the surgery goes fine."

That creates a few issues for the Yankees this winter. They can't know when or whether Jorge Posada will be able to catch because of his July 30 shoulder surgery. So the Yankees may need to keep first base open as an option for Posada if DH is taken, meaning they would not be able to re-sign Jason Giambi.

And if Matsui is a DH, that would seem to put Xavier Nady in right field and Johnny Damon in left, with center field left for Melky Cabrera, Brett Gardner or someone else.

The only way to keep Bobby Abreu (whose contract is up), then, would be to put Nady in left and Damon in center, and that seems defensively risky.

Matsui did mention that he feels he could play first base if needed, but there are no indications yet that the Yankees are considering it.

"Personally," Matsui said through interpreter Roger Kahlon, "the best scenario would be for me to be ready to physically play the outfield, and that's what I going to work toward. As far as how I'll be used, that's beyond my control, that's definitely the manager's decision."

Matsui missed two months this season with damaged cartilage in his left knee. He had a similar problem last year with his right knee, and since he required surgery last November, the Yankees planned to use him mostly as a DH this season.

Girardi said he expects Matsui to have surgery on his left knee after the season; Matsui said he "most probably" would but wanted to check with his doctor first.

Matsui went into Saturday night with a .301 career average as a DH and .294 otherwise.

"I've gotten used to it more," he said.

When the Yankees acquired Damaso Marte from the Pittsburgh Pirates on July 26, they said he could become their primary set-up man.

Now, Girardi said, Marte is back to being a left-handed specialist, which he has been for most of his career.

"I look at 'Damo' more as a situational lefty right now more than anything else," Girardi said. " I look at him as a situational lefty because of all the people we have in our bullpen. Right now, that's the role that's best suited for him."

Going into last night, Marte had held left-handed hitters to a .217 average as a Yankee. Right-handers were batting .222.

Marte went into Saturday night 0-3 with a 6.75 ERA since the trade. His contract includes a $6 million option for 2009 - much too pricey for a specialist.

Bobby Abreu said his sore left wrist felt about "80 percent" in Friday's game. Abreu, who missed Thursday's game after injuring the wrist Wednesday on a slide, was back in the lineup Saturday night.